NATO's Secret Islamic Jihad Oil And The Battle For Chechnya A Caucasian Republic In An Oil And Gas Transit Corridor Between The Caspian And Black Seas al-Qaeda hijackers travelled to Chechnya between 19." Chechen rebels were feared for suicidal courage and cruelty London Times, 20 April 2013, Print Edition, P 9 Delivering one of his most scathing attacks on the US, Mr Gorbachev told The Daily Telegraph that a US military build-up was under way to contain a resurgent Russia.